Vancouver epic melodic death metal force ATAVISTIA will take its latest full-length album, Old Gods Awaken, on the road this fall for an extensive 16-date Canadian tour, running from September 25 through October 11, 2026.
The trek begins on home soil at Vancouver’s Wise Hall on September 25, where ATAVISTIA will join Finnish folk metal veterans ENSIFERUM and Greek power metal heavyweights FIREWIND. From there, ATAVISTIA will head east through British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
BC technical melodic death metal outfit OMNIESIA will accompany ATAVISTIA for shows in Kamloops, Calgary and Edmonton, while Quebec folk/melodic death metal band TROLLWAR joins the tour beginning October 3 in Sarnia and remains on the bill through the October 11 finale in Montreal.
The tour arrives in support of ATAVISTIA’s newest album, Old Gods Awaken, released May 15, 2026 through Blood Blast Distribution. The eight-track record represents the band’s most folk-oriented material to date, drawing deeper from the sound and atmosphere of early-2000s folk metal while retaining the sprawling orchestration, aggressive melodic death metal and technical musicianship that have defined ATAVISTIA’s sound. The album also incorporates lyrics in Swedish and Finnish.
ATAVISTIA — CANADIAN TOUR 2026
Sep. 25 — Vancouver, BC — The Wise Hall — with Ensiferum & Firewind
Sep. 26 — Kamloops, BC — Bridgeview — with Omniesia
Sep. 27 — Calgary, AB — Rec Room — with Omniesia
Sep. 28 — Edmonton, AB — Starlite Temple — with Omniesia
Sep. 29 — Saskatoon, SK — Black Cat Tavern
Sep. 30 — Winnipeg, MB — Sidestage
Oct. 1 — Thunder Bay, ON — Black Pirate’s Pub
Oct. 3 — Sarnia, ON — AJS Bar & Music Hall — with Trollwar
Oct. 4 — London, ON — Rum Runners — with Trollwar
Oct. 5 — Ottawa, ON — Dominion Tavern — with Trollwar
Oct. 6 — Sherbrooke, QC — Le Murdoch — with Trollwar
Oct. 7 — Trois-Rivières, QC — Le Nord-Ouest — with Trollwar
Oct. 8 — Quebec City, QC — L’Anti Bar Spectacles — with Trollwar
Oct. 9 — Toronto, ON — Dance Cave — with Trollwar
Oct. 10 — Oshawa, ON — The Atria — with Trollwar
Oct. 11 — Montreal, QC — Piranha Bar — with Trollwar
Across Old Gods Awaken, soaring melodic guitar work, orchestral arrangements, blast-beat-driven aggression, harsh vocals, clean harmonies and Scandinavian folk influences collide within a record that pushes ATAVISTIA into new territory without abandoning its established identity. Tracks including “Mystic Tavern,” “Seeker of Time,” “To a New World,” “I skogens djup,” “Ride the White Storm” and the eleven-minute title track showcase the album’s range, from direct folk-metal hooks to the expansive cinematic compositions for which the band has become known.
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mattias Sippola, Old Gods Awaken was recorded at Atavistic Studios by Sippola and drummer Max Sepulveda, with artwork by Costin Chioreanu. The current ATAVISTIA lineup features Mattias Sippola on guitar and vocals, Max Sepulveda on drums, Elia Baghbaniyan on guitar and Spencer Budworth on bass and vocals.
Based in Vancouver, ATAVISTIA has developed its own collision of melodic death metal, black metal, symphonic grandeur and Scandinavian folk, drawing comparisons to artists including Wintersun, Ensiferum, Dimmu Borgir and Xanthochroid. The band’s music pairs technical precision and sweeping melodies with imagery inspired by wilderness, changing seasons and ancient northern culture.
The new album Old Gods Awaken showcases ATAVISTIA’s most folk-inspired material to date. Featuring shorter, catchier, and more direct compositions, the record reflects the band’s evolving creative direction while staying rooted in their signature sound. Drawing influence from folk metal, black metal, and a wide spectrum of styles in between, the album captures the band’s commitment to following inspiration wherever it leads.
Known for their fluid approach to genre and songwriting, ATAVISTIA continues to push boundaries while maintaining the essence that defines them.
Old Gods Awaken was produced, mixed and mastered by Mattias Sippola. The album was recorded at Atavistic Studios by Mattias Sippola and Max Sepulveda. Cover artwork for the release was created by Costin Chioreanu.
ATAVISTIA Lineup:
Mattias Sippola – Guitar, Vocals, Composition, Production
Max Sepulveda – Drums, Engineering
Elia Baghbaniyan – Guitar
Spencer Budworth – Bass, Vocals
About ATAVISTIA:
Formed in 2017 in Vancouver, Canada, ATAVISTIA takes their fans on a spellbinding journey though vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras, and permafrost-laden landscapes. Fans of WINTERSUN, ENSIFERUM, DIMMU BORGIR, and XANTHOCHROID will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.
Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, ATAVISTIA’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction. Their debut EP, One With The Sun (2017) introduced their unique blend of beauty and ferocity, which they followed up with a stormy full-length in 2020 through The Winter Way. The next two releases, the full-length Cosmic Warfare (2023) and the EP Inane Duncam (2024), saw the band spreading their wings and exploring a wider variety of influences. Through it all, ATAVISTIA balances graceful melodies with a brutal rhythmic cacophony, swirling elegance and fury together like a ferocious northern blizzard.
On stage, ATAVISTIA is a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore. Their music washes over audiences worldwide, leaving them gasping for more long after the last note has faded. They have toured Europe twice alongside notable acts such as SKÁLMÖLD, METSATÖLL, and SEVEN SPIRES, and have opened locally for MOONSPELL, ELEINE, and OCEANS OF SLUMBER. ATAVISTIA has firmly established its presence in a niche among a wide swath of metal genres.
Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?